LPGA players Juli Inkster and Sherri Steinhauer have been selected as assistant captains for the 2011 U.S. Solheim Cup Team by Captain Rosie Jones. Inkster, a 31-time LPGA Tour winner and member of the LPGA and World Golf Halls of Fame, has competed in eight Solheim Cup competitions, while 8-time LPGA Tour winner Steinhauer has competed in four. The 2011 Solheim Cup will be played at Killeen Castle in County Meath, Ireland from Sept. 23-25.
Jones made the announcement today at the Bell Micro LPGA Classic in Mobile, Alabama, where both Inkster and Steinhauer will compete this week.
“Part of my job as Captain of the 2011 Solheim Cup Team is to build and surround myself with the strongest team to pursue a win in Ireland,” Jones said. “By picking Juli Inkster and Sherri Steinhauer, I am confident that I have selected the best possible assistant captains to help get that job done. Juli, Sherri and I have been long-time friends and competitors on the LPGA as well as teammates on several Solheim Cups played over a 20-year period. Our trio of leadership of the U.S. Solheim Cup Team will include the same passion, dedication and competitiveness that we displayed as players. It will be our job to share that wealth of experience with our 2011 U.S. players while leading them to victory.”
The 2011 Solheim Cup will be the 12th staging of the biennial, trans-Atlantic team match-play competition featuring the best 12 U.S.-born players from the LPGA and the best 12 European-born players representing the Ladies European Tour (LET). The U.S. leads the series 8-3, but faces a challenge in Ireland, however, as the European Team has won all of its three Solheim Cup events on European soil.
In her days as a member of the U.S. squad, Inkster recorded 18 points over eight Solheim Cups, including an overall singles record of 6-1-1. Her most recent appearance came at the 2009 competition played at the Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, Illinois, where her U.S. team beat the Europeans by four points. Inkster’s 18 points are the most ever won by a U.S. Solheim player and rank second in Solheim Cup history behind Europe’s Laura Davies, who has won 23 ½.
”I am honored that Rosie has such faith in me to choose me to be an assistant captain,” said Inkster. “I look forward to helping her and Sherri lead the U.S. team in Ireland. The Solheim Cup has been such a big part of my LPGA career for so many years and this will be a continuation of those great memories.”
Steinhauer has registered eight points over four Solheim Cups, with an overall record of 6-3-4. Her last Solheim Cup appearance came at the 2007 Solheim Cup played at Halmstad Golf Club in Halmstad, Sweden, where the U.S. team won by four points over Europe, marking only the second time in Solheim Cup history that a team has won on foreign soil. The U.S. team accomplished the same feat at the 1996 Solheim Cup in Wales.
“I am thrilled and honored to be selected by Rosie as assistant captain along with Juli Inkster for the 2011 Solheim Cup,” Steinhauer said. “As Solheim Cup players, Rosie and Juli have represented our county with pride, grace and grit. I cannot think of two better people to work alongside. While I can still play my way onto the team, I am excited that I will be in the U.S. team room no matter what. Either way, being a part of Rosie and Juli’s team will no doubt bring excitement to Killeen Castle in Ireland.”
The most recent Solheim Cup last season drew fans from across the globe to watch a talented Team USA win at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, Illinois last August. The U.S. Team kept its undefeated record on home soil alive in front of a record crowd of 120,000. The winning point came in the 11th singles match on the final day when Morgan Pressel defeated Sweden’s Anna Nordqvist to retain the Cup. Record web, attendance and merchandise sales were recorded throughout the week as spectators poured through the gates and fans logged onto LPGA.com to track their favorite players. Providing real-time coverage of the event throughout the week, LPGA.com had nearly 6.9 million page views to the site.
In their careers on the LPGA Tour, Steinhauer and Inkster combine for a total of 39 wins and nine major championships. Inkster’s last win came at the 2006 Safeway International Presented by Coca-Cola, while Steinhauer’s latest victory was carded at the 2007 LPGA State Farm Classic. Both full-time active players, Inkster and Steinhauer will bring a wealth of knowledge, spirit and leadership to the U.S. Team and provide Captain Jones an inside the ropes perspective on prospective teammates.
Highlights of Juli Inkster’s Career/Solheim Cup Career:
Rookie Year: 1983
Wins (last): 31 (2006)
Career low round: 62
Career earnings(rank): $12,779,800(4)
Solheim Cups: ’92,’98, ’00, ’02, ’03, ’05, ’07, ‘09
Overall singles record – 6-1-1
Overall foursomes record – 6-4-3
Overall four-ball record – 3-5-2
Overall doubles record – 9-9-5
Overall record – 15-10-6
Total points scored – 18
Highlights of Sherri Steinhauer’s Career/Solheim Cup Career:
Rookie Year: 1986
Wins(last): 8 (2007)
Career low round: 64
Career earnings(rank): $5,947,438(20)
Solheim Cups: ’94, ’98, ’00, ‘07
Overall singles record – 2-0-2
Overall foursomes record – 3-0-2
Overall four-ball record – 1-3-0
Overall doubles record – 4-3-2
Overall record – 6-3-4
Total points scored – 8
About The Solheim Cup
The Solheim Cup is named in honor of Karsten Solheim, and his family, the makers of PING golf equipment. The Solheim Cup is the most prestigious international team event in women’s professional golf. It is a biennial, trans-Atlantic team match-play competition featuring the best U.S.-born players from the LPGA and the best European-born players representing the Ladies European Tour (LET). The U.S. Team leads the competition, 8-3. The 2011 Solheim Cup will be played at Killeen Castle in County Meath, Ireland, Sept. 23-25. The 2013 Solheim Cup will be contested at Colorado Golf Club in Parker, Colorado. In addition to founding sponsor PING, Global Partners of The Solheim Cup include AIB Group and Rolex. For information, log on to www.SolheimCup.com.
